In the area of dental prosthetics, there have been primarily two major types of dental implant prosthetics which have been in use. The first, commonly known as the over denture, provides for support structure to be implanted in the alveolar bone which support structure extends above the gum line and permits the patient to snap fit the denture in place. This type of construction permits the patient to remove the denture himself and clean the denture and the gum area. The drawback or an over denture is that it does not normally provide sufficient stability under all eating or chewing conditions.
The second type of prosthesis in wide use is that of the fixed prosthesis. Again, a support structure is anchored in the alveolar bone, the support structure extending above the gum line and the prosthesis being permanently secured through the support structure into the bone. This type of denture normally provides a more stable denture for the patient, but aesthetic and hygiene problems arise in that the denture can only be removed by a dentist to permit cleaning of the area under the prosthesis and proximate to the support structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,328 to Branemark discloses a device for providing such a permanent or fixed prosthesis.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,739 to Thibert, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,698 to Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,671 to Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,506 to Lew, U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,858 to Silverman, all disclose versions of permanent or fixed implants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,119 to Linkow discloses an implant system for use with removable over dentures.
The need therefore exists for a prosthesis which provides the long term stability to the patient together with aesthetic appearances yet which will permit the patient to remove the prosthesis for cleaning not only the prosthesis, but the gum area surrounding the support structure in order to prevent hygiene problems.
Applicant's device is directed towards the solution of this problem by providing for a support structure which is secured to the alveolar bone and which permits the prosthesis to be swivel lock or snap locked in place to this support structure with either a swivel latch or clip, the key to the stability being the exact fit of the support structure implanted in the bone to the supra structure to which the prosthesis is mounted, this fit being accomplished by an electrical erosion system eliminating the need for soldering or milling.